Hydrokinetics and Biofouling

Regarding a recent post on the validity of ocean wave energy, my friend, top-level author Tom Blakeslee (pictured here; see ClearLight Press) writes:  Look at the underside of boats and docks…filled with barnacles and growth. Maintenance could be a nightmare. Any proposal should be carefully evaluated from this point of view.

No question about that. Anytime you insert anything into a river or an ocean you have issues with both environmental interference and, to your point, survivability—in this case, biofouling. As anyone can imagine, salt water (vs. fresh water) only amplifies all this.

Obviously, if you don’t care how much you pay for your energy, you will be able to generate power from ocean waves despite all these obstacles. The problem is that we do care how much we pay for energy, and thus, if there is a path to success here, it will require a great deal of ingenuity.

Thanks for your insights as always, Tom.  You may recall that the last time I saw you, we 1) talked about clean energy and sustainability for an hour or so, 2) played two sets of paddle tennis, and 3) came back inside to meet your charming (French) wife who had made an incredible (French) lunch.  It doesn’t get any better.